Tooth brush



Oct. 10, 1939. H. OREBAU'GH 2,175,278

TOOTH BRUSH Filed May 28, 1937 IN VENTOR.

BY lowzllfl 025240 11 ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 10, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

My invention relates to toothbrushes and more particularly to toothbrushes having a reversible brush portion.

An object of my invention is to provide a tooth- 5 brush having a brush portion disposed at an angle to a handle, which brush portion may be reversed.

Another object is to provide a toothbrush having a brush portion which has a variable position and which may be fixed at a pre-determined position.

Another object is to provide a toothbrush having a handle member, the handle member having two portions disposed at an obtuse angle to each other, and a brush portion adapted to engage an end of the handle member and having bristles disposed on one side of the brush portion, the brush portion being adapted to be fixed in alternate positions in respect to the obtuse angle of the handle member.

Another object is to provide a toothbrush having a handle member, and a brush portion disposed at an obtuse angle to each other, the brush portion having bristles disposed on one side thereof, the brush portion being rotatable into various positions so that the bristles may be fixed at a pre-determined position relative to the said obtuse angle.

Another object is to provide a toothbrush having a handle and a brush portion disposed at an angle to each other, the brush portion having bristles disposed in one direction from the brush member, one of the brush portion and handle having an opening and one of the brush portion and handle having a projection adapted to nonrotatively engage in the said opening, a resilient member carried by the toothbrush for resiliently holding the projection in the opening so that the brush member may be rotated to change the position of the bristles relative to the said angle and may be fixed in a pre-determined position relative to the said angle.

Another object is to provide a toothbrush having a replaceable bristle holding portion.

v A further object is to provide a handle member having an opening extending therethrough, the handle member being disposed at an angle to an end portion of the handle, a brush portion having bristles mounted on one side thereof, the brush portion having a projection on one end adapted to non-rotatively engage in the opening in the handle member, a coil spring mounted in the opening and having one end anchored to the handle member and having its other end anchored to the projection of the brush member so that when the brush member is with drawn from the handle member, it may be rotated to change the position of the bristles in respect to the angle of the handle member and so that when the projection is mounted in the opening of the handle member the position of the bristles 5 and brush member is fixed and the bristles are disposed at a pre-determined position relative to the angle of the handle member.

A further object is to provide a toothbrush having a handle member and a brush portion, the 10 end of one fitting within an opening in the end of the other, the said end and the said opening being non-circular to prevent rotation when together, the handle member and brush portion being disposed at an angle to each other whereby the 15 bristles of the brush portion may be directed toward or away from the angle between the brush portion and handle member.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of my invention may be had by referring to the follow- 20 mg description and claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of the preferred form of my invention, with portions cut away, and with the brush portion directed in one position; 25

' Figure 2 shows the form shown in Figure 1 but with the brush portion directed in the opposite position;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken through the line 33 of Figure 1; 30

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional View taken through the line 44 of Figure 1.

In reference to Figure 1 in which I show the preferred form of my invention, my toothbrush consists of a handle portion I5 and a brush por- 35 tion IS. A plurality of bristles I! are appropriately mounted to the brush portion 56 and aredis posed from one side of the brush portion. The handle portion 15 has a bend noted by the reference character 26. By means of this bend 40 26, the handle portion [5 has two portions disposed at an obtuse angle to each other. This obtuse angle at which the handle portion I5 is bent is preferably about degrees or at any other desired angle appropriate to the use of the 45 toothbrush. The obtuse angle referred to is the angle of the bottom of the toothbrush as illustrated in Figure 1.

There is a longitudinal opening l8 extending throughout the length of the handle portion [5 50 which opening [8 follows the angularly disposed sides of the handle portion l 5. At the end of the handle portion closest to the brushqportion IS, the opening is rectangular in cross-section or may be in any other non-circular form. The end 53 of the brush portion l6 has a projection 24 also rectangular or non-circular in cross-section and adapted to fit into and non-rotatively engage in the opening I8. A hook member 23 is embedded or otherwise secured to the projection 24 as shown in Figure 1.

There is a slight counter-sink in the end of the handle portion l5 at the right-hand end as shown in Figure 1. This slight counter-sink 22 accommodates a button member 2| which has a hook portion 20 extending inwardly therefrom. Securely engaged to the hook portion 20 is the end of the long resilient coil spring |9 disposed within the longitudinal opening i8. The other end of the coil spring I9 is secured to the hook member 23 at the other end of the handle portion l5. As the button member 2| is pulled against the end of the handle portion l5 by the action of the spring is and the projection 24 is held inwardly of the opening H! by the resilient action of the spring l9, it is seen that the resilient action of the spring l9 tends to normally hold the handle portion l5 and the brush portion l6 together in joined position as shown in Figure 1. The handle portion l5 and brush portion i6 are firmly held together at the joint 25 by this resilient action and the brush portion I6 is held from rotating in respect to the handle portion l5 by reason of the non-rotative fitting of the projection 24 within the opening It.

It is therefore seen that when a toothbrush has the bristles pointed in an outward direction, the brush portion and the handle portion are mounted together as shown in Figure 1. By outward direction, I mean having the bristles pointed away from the obtuse angle of the toothbrush and in the position shown in Figure 1.

The assembly of the parts is simple and apparent from the drawing in Figure 1. The coil spring I9 is secured to the hook portion 20 of the button member 2| and the coil spring l9 inserted into the opening IB until the button member 2| engages within the counter-sink 22. By means of a wire or other device, the left-hand end of the coil spring I9 is pulled out through the other end of the opening i8 and engaged to the hook member 23 of the projection 24. The handle portion l5 and brush portion l6 are then put together so that the projection 24 fits within the opening l8 and in a position so that the brush portion I6 is properly disposed in the outward direction as shown in Figure 1. The non-rotative fitting of the projection 24 within the opening l8 will keep the brush portion in this outward direction as long as the brush portion l5 and handle portion l6 are together, they being normally held together by the resilient action of the spring It.

Another time it is desired to have a toothbrush having the bristles I! pointed in the opposite direction, that is, in an inward direction. By an inward direction, I mean having the bristles directed toward the obtuse angle formed by the bending of the handle, the inward direction being illustrated in Figure 2; In order to obtain the disposition of the parts as shown in Figure 2 the brush portion I6 and handle portion l5 of Figure 1 are manually pulled apart so as to overcome the tension of the coil spring [9 permitting the projection 24 to be withdrawn from the opening I8 and when in this withdrawn position, the brush portion I6 is turned so that the bristles H point in the opposite direction. The brush portion [6 and handle portion 5 are again pushed together so that the projection 24 is nonrotatively engaged within the opening l8, the

brush portion I6 and handle portion l5 being securely engaged together at the joint 25. The resilient action of the spring IE will then normally hold the parts together in the predetermined position. By this operation the toothbrush having the arrangement of parts shown in Figure 1 is transformed into the toothbrush having the arrangement of parts shown in Figure 2. In this form shown in Figure 2, the bristles I are disposed in an inward direction toward the obtuse angle of the toothbrush.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken through the line 3-3 of Figure 1 and shows the non-rotative mounting of the projection 24 within the opening l8 of the handle portion IS. The hook portion 23 is shown as securely mounted in the axial center of the projection 24.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken through the line 4-4 of Figure 1 and shows the coil spring I9 mounted within the opening |8 of the handle portion Hi. It is to be noted that in this location the opening l8 may be circular in form, but that at the upper end wherein the projection 24 is mounted, the opening I8 is rectangular or non-circular in form.

My toothbrush, in having a reversible brush, has many advantages in the cleaning of the teeth. The toothbrush shown in Figure 1 is most valuable for cleaning the inside surfaces of the teeth because of the disposition of the shape of the parts for the reason that such a toothbrush fits the inside curve of the upper and lower jaws; and the crowns of the upper teeth because the outward disposition of the bristles and angle of the handle places the handle most conveniently in the hand of the user when the bristles rest upon the crowns of the upper teeth.

The toothbrush having the disposition of parts shown in Figure 2 in which the bristles are inwardly disposed and the handle is at an angle to the brush portion, is most valuable for cleaning the outside surfaces of the teeth for the reason that such a disposed handle best fits the outside curve of the upper and lower jaws; and the crowns of the lower teeth because the disposition of the handle places it most conveniently in the hand of the user when the plane of the bristles rest upon the crowns of the lower teeth.

Advantages of each type of toothbrush is well known and my toothbrush combines the advantages of both, in that the same toothbrush is alternately formed into one type of brush and the other type of brush. The transformation of the brush from the type of Figure 1 to the type of Figure 2 is done by a simple manipulation so that one toothbrush fits the needs of the user so as to clean both the inside and outside surfaces of the teeth and the crowns of both the upper and lower teeth. The combination of parts is such that a single toothbrush assumes alternate forms in accordance with the requirement needed.

It is to be understood that the angle of the handle referred to need not be any definite angle. The handle member may also be curved or sloped without any angularity to be seen. The disposition of the handle member may be such that it is disposed in a direction at an angle to the brush, whether disposed along a curve or along a straight line. My invention may be practiced as long as the bristles of a toothbrush are mounted on one plane and a handle disposed upon another plane at an angle thereto, whether joined together by curved portions or angularly disposed portions.

My invention may also be put to another use in which a toothbrush having other characteristics may be obtained by the simple manipulation of parts. By rotating the brush portion approximately ninety (90) degrees, from the position shown in Figure 1, that is, by giving it a quarter turn instead of a half turn, a toothbrush having other desired characteristics is obtained. This quarter-twist toothbrush 'conveniently fits the hand for natural and easy manipulation during the cleaning operation. Since the brush portion may be turned in either direction in making the quarter turn, a brush suitable for use by the right hand or left hand may be obtained. The change and manipulation of parts is performed in the same manner as described for obtaining the forms shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The brush portion of my toothbrush may be replaced when worn out or soiled by detaching the brush portion from the handle portion and mounting a new brush portion to the old handle portion. This feature of replacement of the brush portion carrying the bristles is an added advantageous characteristic of my toothbrush.

The toothbrush embodying my invention may be made of plastic material or any other material suitable for use in toothbrushes. The forming of the parts may be done by molding or any other appropriate means for the obtaining of the structure disclosed and suggested herein.

Although I have described my invention with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination in a toothbrush, of a handle member having two portions disposed in planes at an angle to each other, said handle member having an elongated opening extending through one of said portions and into the other of said portions, the said opening having a non-circular cross section, an elongated brush member having bristles extending from one side thereof, said brush member having a projection extending from an end thereof, said projection being non-circular in crosssection and adapted to non-rotatively engage in said opening, and a coil spring extending longitudinally of said opening and having one end engaged to the said other portion inwardly of said opening and having another end engaged to the said projection for normally holding the projection inwardly of the said opening, the arrangement of the handle member and brush member being such that the projection of the brush member may be disengaged from the opening of the handle member by extending said coil spring and the brush member rotated in respect to the handle member and fixed in position by re-engaging the projection in the opening.

2. A toothbrush comprising an elongated handle member having two ends and having two portions disposed in planes at an angle to each other, said handle member having an opening extending throughout its length, said opening having a non-circular cross-section adjacent to one of said ends of the handle member, an elongated brush member having bristles extending from one side thereof, said brush member having a projection extending from an end thereof, said projection being non-circular in cross-section and adapted to non-rotatively engage in said opening at said one of the ends of the handle member, and a coil spring extending through said opening and having one end anchored to the other of said ends of the handle member and having the other end anchored to the said projection for normally holding the projection inwardly of the said opening, the arrangement of the handle member and brush member being such that the projection of the brush member may be dis-engaged from the opening of the handle member by overcoming the resilient action of the said coil spring and the brush member rotated in respect to the handle member and fixed in position by re-engaging the projection in the opening.

LOWELL H. OREBAUGI-I. 

